Evans



June 19, 1956 J. EVANS 2,750,827

SPRING-BIASED, SLIDABLE INNER JAW WRENCH Filed Dec. 16, 1954 INVENTOR. zj'oirz Zflazs United States Patent SPRING-BIASED, SLIDABLE INNER JAW WRENCH John Evans, La Crescenta, Calif.

Application December 16, 1954, Serial No. 475,655

1 Claim. 01. 81-97) This invention relates to wrenches and more particularly to a form thereof adapted for use in eifecting the adjustment of the caster and camber of the front wheels of motor vehicles.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a wrench which is quickly adjustable to accommodate a wide range of nut and bolt sizes and which has a conformation which enables the use of the wrench for effecting caster and camber adjustment of the front wheels of motor vehicles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wrench in which the foregoing objective is realized in practice and which is of simple and rugged construction, is readily and economically manufactured, and which is efiicient and reliable for its intended purpose.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such additional objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts, and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts described, by way of example, in the following specification of one mode of execution of the invention; reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of said specification and in which drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a wrench embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation as viewed from the right hand side of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary view showing the movable jaw in section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the movable jaw only partially broken away and rocked preparatory to being shifted to another position.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention includes an integral fixed jaw and handle component 1 and a movable jaw component 2. The component 1 is preferably stamped out of heavy sheet metal of uniform thickness and is of fiat, modified L-shape including a shorter portion 3 constituting the fixed jaw and having a jaw face 4 and a longer combined shank and handle portion 5 of substantially uniform rectangular cross section extending from said shorter portion in a general direction which is slightly less than a right angle to the length of the jaw face 4; said longer portion being slightly curved throughout its length with the concave edge 6 thereof extending from said jaw face as best shown in Fig. 1. The concave edge 6 beginning at a point at about its mid length and extending from said point approximately half the distance toward said jaw face is provided with a uniformly spaced series of ratchet teeth 7 arranged, as will be later explained, to permit the movable jaw component to be moved to various positions of adjustment with respect to the fixed jaw.

The movable jaw component 2 includes a jaw member 8 provided with a nut engaging face 9 parallel to the fixed jaw face 4 and is provided with a rectangular open- Patented June 19, 1956 ice ing 10 having a width which closely engages the sides of the shank and handle portion 5 and a length which is somewhat longer than the width of said portion. At the end of said opening remote from the jaw face 9, the component 2 is provided with a detent element 11 adapted to engage the ratchet teeth 7. The component 2 is further provided with a plunger element 12 having a shank 13 slidably mounted in a hole 14 extending from the opening 10 closely adjacent and parallel to the jaw face 9. A compression spring 15 is seated in the end of the hole 14 and tends constantly to urge the plunger outwardly against the concave curved edge of the shank and handle member 5 with resultant tendency to rock the movable jaw member 2 thereon in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 with incident maintenance of engagement of the detent 11 with one of the ratchet teeth 7 and consequent locking of the movable jaw in fixed relation. When the jaw is to be adjusted toward the fixed jaw, it is merely pushed along the shank to the desired position; the sloping faces between adjacent ratchet tooth surfaces causing the 'detent to ride over them. When the distance between the jaws is to be increased, the movable jaw 2 is rocked about the shank 5 in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. l) with resultant movement of the plunger 12 inwardly and movement of the detent 11 out of the range of the teeth 7 (see Fig. 5) and the jaw is then moved to the desired position of adjustment and upon release, the plunger will swing the jaw back into position with the detent 11 engaging one of the teeth 7.

The foregoing wrench is particularly designed for eifecting caster and camber adjustments on the front wheels of motor vehicles and the curvature of the shank and handle portion is particularly useful in affording clearance for use of the wrench in the close quarters in which the adjusting elements are confined.

The wrench is composed of few parts all of simple design and the adjustment in either direction is quickly effected.

While the foregoing specification discloses a preferred mode of execution of the invention, it is not to be inferred therefrom that the invention is limited to the exact form so disclosed, and it will be understood that the invention embraces all such changes and modifications in the parts, and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall come within the purview of the appended claim.

I claim:

A wrench for effecting caster and camber adjustments of the front wheels of motor vehicles, said wrench comprising a handle and shank component having a fixed jaw formed integrally therewith and a movable jaw component slidably mounted on said handle and shank component; said handle and shank component being of substantially uniform, rectangular cross section throughout its length and said fixed jaw having a nut engaging face disposed at less than a right angle to the general direction of the length of said handle and shank component and said handle and shank being curved throughout its length with the concave edge deriving therefrom disposed at the side from which said fixed jaw projects; said movable jaw component having a rectangular opening extending therethrough having a width closely fitting the sides of said handle and shank component and a length greater than the width of said handle and shank component sufficient to permit rocking movement of said movable jaw on said handle and shank component, a jaw having a nut engaging face opposed to said nut engaging face of said fixed jaw on said movable jaw component, a series of ratchet teeth on said concave edge of said handle and shank component, a spring biased plunger means carried 3 by said movable jaw component yieldingly engaging said concave edge of said handle and shank component adjacent to the jaw face portion of said movable jaw component, and a detent element carried by said movable jaw component disposed at the end of said rectangular opening remote from said plunger projecting into said opening and engageable with selected ones of said ratchet teeth under'rocking movement of said movable jaw component derived from said plunger means; said plunger means comprising a bore in said movable jaw component disposed adjacent to and parallel to said not engaging jaw face thereof and extending from within said rectangular opening to a distal end adjacent the distal end of said movable jaw component, a compression spring seated in said end of said bore, a plunger shank slidably mounted in said bore and engaging the end of said spring, and'a head on said plunger disposed in and engaging the sidewalls of said rectangular opening and urged by said spring into yielding engagement with the concave edge of said handle component; said head of said plunger having a dimension in a direction longitudinally of said handle which is equal to the distance between at least three adjacent ones of said teeth with resultant capacity to slide over said teeth incident to adjustment of said movable jaw on said handle component.

ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 183,574 Keenan Oct. 24, 1876 389,899 Porter Sept. 25, 1888 737,199 Bonner Aug. 25, 1903 999,272 Stover Aug. 1, 1911 1,040,802 Sosnierz Oct. 8, 1912 1,163,845 Oatman et a1. Dec. 14, 19l5 

